Go to page

More options

It sounds to me like they use test strips in the cartridge that pulls the strips through the water and into an optical reader. We will see if they can be more accurate and repeatable then other test strip technology.

More options

Looking ahead to winterizing: the previous owners left me with no plug for the throat of the skimmer. They did have a gizmo in it when I opened the pool but nothing that would keep water out of the skimmer. The safety cover is a mesh one and lets water right through into the pool, so it will fill back up after I've cleared out the lines. Do I need to get a plug for the skimmer throat to keep water out of the skimmer? Or can I just trust that the gizmo will keep it from cracking even if it fills with water and then freezes?

More options

Seal the pipes – I use expandable rubber plugs to seal the skimmer pipe, return pipe, and the unions the SWG attaches to. The skimmer also gets most of a gallon of anti-freeze on top of the plug and some torn up pool noodle foam to protect the skimmer (which will also be covered by the main cover). Some people use a gizzmo in the skimmer but I prefer the rubber plug and pool noodle material as I feel more confident that the rubber plug won’t come out.

It doesn't mention that the skimmer mouth gets plugged, but the article is also written by someone who doesn't have a mesh safety cover (it mentions a pump on top of the cover). So that person may never have enough water getting under the cover for it to be reaching the skimmer mouth after draining. Mine was certainly that high when I opened.

More options

The skimmer mouth and the skimmer top are open so any ice freezing in the skimmer can expand without breaking anything. A plastic jug can be put in the skimmer to fill the void so less water may get into it and freeze.

You more don’t want water getting above the tile line because water getting behind a tile and freezing can pop it off. So pump out water during the winter if the water level rises.

I haven't been following your thread so I don't know what all you have planned but if you are installing your liner yourself, I would make sure you get a few extra bags of Pool Crete to make sure you get the floor/base nice and smooth. Whatever is under there currently is at least a decade old and will likely feel like mud. My old liner had pieces of carpet put under it by the old owners for some reason so no telling what you will find. Also, be sure to tamp down the inclines if you smooth out with pool crete. When my liner was replaced last summer, the installer didn't tamp down the inclines in the deep end so I had critter tunnels cave in once the water pressure pushed them in. The installer came back a few months later to fix everything.

Edit: the guy who installed my liner just put the Pool Crete on the existing base dry so it could be raked and tamped. The crew didn't mix it with water since it wasn't actually a full redo of the base, just a thin layer to smooth/level the floor. Ground water eventually gets down there to "set it" with the weight of the water on top.

More options

I haven't been following your thread so I don't know what all you have planned but if you are installing your liner yourself, I would make sure you get a few extra bags of Pool Crete to make sure you get the floor/base nice and smooth. Whatever is under there currently is at least a decade old and will likely feel like mud. My old liner had pieces of carpet put under it by the old owners for some reason so no telling what you will find. Also, be sure to tamp down the inclines if you smooth out with pool crete. When my liner was replaced last summer, the installer didn't tamp down the inclines in the deep end so I had critter tunnels cave in once the water pressure pushed them in. The installer came back a few months later to fix everything.

Edit: the guy who installed my liner just put the Pool Crete on the existing base dry so it could be raked and tamped. The crew didn't mix it with water since it wasn't actually a full redo of the base, just a thin layer to smooth/level the floor. Ground water eventually gets down there to "set it" with the weight of the water on top.

Thanks for the advice - we are actually having a company install for us, but my wife wanted to save a couple hundred dollars by draining and cutting it out ahead of time for the guy. He did say to take photos and send it to him for anything that looked off, so this is good info to keep an eye on!

I'll head out tonight and vacuum the bottom to get up anything still there, plugging directly into the skimmer. Then as long as I can babysit it, I can also have my pool pump help pull water out of the bottom. That should cut a few hours off and let us start cutting out the vinyl earlier on Sunday.

More options

The ramp down to the deepend can be used as a water slide for a day for his party. I slipped on my ramp, landed right on my back, and slid down into the foot of water remaining. After 10 minutes of my back hurting and laughing at myself, I had my 4-year-old put on his swimming trunks and we slid on the "water slide" for a few hours. It was a lot of fun during a stressful liner replacement.

About us

With over 200,000 members, TFP is the largest and most influential pool & spa website on the Internet. The reason is simple: TFPC (Trouble Free Pool Care) is a methodology, not a product that you must purchase. It is being practiced by thousands of pool owners just like you.